How do I coax my Corn out for handling?

[dizeedoo]

I've had my corn for over a year - since hatchling. He has a beautiful personality and he eats and sheds without any problems at all. I love him so much and I have been able to handle him but not very regularly.

How do I approach taking him out of his tank when he is most often under his substrate. Especially now that he is bigger - he spends nearly all of his time underground with just his head popping out.

He is naturally curious and pops out to see me when I come in and out of the room. I can take the lid off the tank and he comes near my hand but if I notion to him he slinks back down his self-made tunnel.

The other day I realized that if he were a puppy (or other domestic pet) I'd just handle the pet whenever I wanted to - as in on my schedule. I seem to be waiting for him to decide when we should have handling. I want more contact and he seems to really enjoy it when we do.

Yes, I have some nervousness about making him frightened of me. He's the greatest pet I've ever had. I love him to bits and will never be without a snake again. I'd just like to enjoy him more.

 

[caz223]

Welcome!
Let me be the first to offer my perspective on things.
If you want to always be able to see a snake doing something cool, get more snakes!
Their individual personalities and different color morphs make owning many very rewarding.
I'm not advocating putting more snakes in one tank, I'm saying maybe getting a smaller rack system with tubs.
Go to the photo gallery and check out some snake pics, soon you'll find a few you can't live without.
You have plenty of time, ask questions, look around, get exactly the ones you want. Don't worry what people think, screw being 'normal'.

 

[caz223]

A nice side effect of having a rack system with tubs is that you can bring a rolly chair up to your snake rack, and slide the tub out onto your lap, and the snake won't even know what happened. He won't have time to be nervous, you'll already be holding him.

 

[tom e]

You can always just grab him too, whenever you want to hold him. I have lot's that don't really mind being held, yet they all still act a little goofy when I go to grab them. That's just typical snake behavior!

 

[Murf301]

I agree just go in and grab him...i was reluctant at first to but then i just went for it. Whats ironic is my snake thats most flighty is the calmest once in my hands.

 

[Saffleur]

The best method I think is just scooping them up. Go from the side not the top and do it quickly and confidently. They won't realize it right away.

I've got a fussy creamsicle and if I take my time to pick him up he rattles, hisses and strikes. Scooping him up however he does not do any of that. He wiggles to get away but eventually calms down.

 

[caz223]

Mine will all be nervous, if you get in the habit of really gently touching them near the back 1/3 of their body before you pick them up, they will realize you're just there to hang out with them and they calm down.
They may tense up at first or be jumpy or give you a quick tail rattle, but once they know what's going on they calm right down.
I just like taking the tub right out and putting it in my lap, and curiousity will take over. They just crawl out into your hands and all is good.
Glass cages make them nervous like you describe, containers like tubs that are opaque seem to make them feel secure, they know they can't see out, so others must not be able to see them.
Also, rather than a regular hide spot, I use a really deep layer of aspen for bedding, and put a big layer of shredded newspaper over the hot spot, and another layer of it near their water bowl.
Smaller snakes get regular hides rather than super deep aspen and newspaper, they like to cram in small spaces. From what I've seem bigger snakes kinda like to stretch out a bit.

 

[bitsy]

Most of mine have to be fetched out for handling. You need to remember that Corns aren't like cats/dogs and they don't crave human company. Really, they just want to be left alone, so expecting them to come to you is probably being a bit optimistic.

I have a couple of adults that will stick their heads out of the viv when I open the doors, but it takes them a while and I generally don't have time to let them decide at their own pace. To my mind, they're probably only doing that to see if there's food about, so it's better for them if I take them out and put them in their feeding tanks. They get want they want faster that way!

If yours is burrowing a lot, might he need a few more hides? It's much easier to fetch a snake out by lifting a hide, than by having to grub around under the substrate. Mind you, some just are burrowers by nature, regardless of how much ground cover you give them.

As long as he's relaxed once you have hold of him, I think he's perfectly comfortable with you. His behaviour around being picked up to start with, is pretty much what you'd expect for most Corns.

 

[dizeedoo]

Thanks for all the answers... I read them and went up to see Samson and there he was with his head sticking out of his favorite tunnel. He loves to burrow. I have put extra hides into his viv in the past and he ignored them. He does have "a rock" which he goes into quite a bit but it's the type that has a viewing piece from the outiside of the tank. I have gotten him out by lifting him and the rock and waited until he curiously wandered onto my hand. Other times he has been keen to get out. It seems I am the problem more than him. I'm feeling uncomfortable about digging him out of his ground cover and wonder if that might make him skittish. He's really got a great temperement. Like, I can put my hand in any time and he has never struck at me. There are times he seems so familiar with my scent that he doesnt even bother to taste the air.

I have many times touched him gently along his back and immediately that he feels the touch he begins to slither off. If I apply any pressure he moves faster but never strikes. I'm presuming that's normal as they are cautious when they feel exposed or vulnerable.

I'll check out the tubes and racks mentioned. It would just be fun to spend more time handling him. My daughter (in Australia) has a Stimson Python and she handles him all the time. He's a branch dweller tho, so is never really in any tight spots he's readily available to be picked up.

I'm feeling that I need to be calm and assertive when he is exposed and maybe if Imake sure I handle him when he is out and about (rarely) then the increased contact will be good medicine for both of us.